ATHENS, Ga. - Championship seasons often are distinguished by good fortune as well as good players. That's why you wonder if preseason No. 1 Georgia is more likely headed for disappointment than a repeat of last year's strong finish.

The Bulldogs aren't having championship luck.

You knew Georgia's schedule would be tough. You didn't know that injuries would make it even tougher.

The attrition began in the off-season with the loss of Marcus Washington, a middle linebacker with starting experience. He's out for the season with a shoulder injury.

Next to go was tackle Trinton Sturdivant, the team's best offensive linemen. He went down in preseason training camp with a season-ending knee injury.

Then, in the season opener, defensive tackle Jeff Owens suffered a season-ending knee injury.

It was an ominous beginning for a team expected to contend for a national title. Championship seasons don't usually unfold that way.

Coaches can't explain why and when injuries occur. But most would agree with what former Georgia coach Vince Dooley said Tuesday, "They come in bunches."

A bunch of Bulldogs were injured in their loss to Alabama 12 days ago. Starting tight end Tripp Chandler (shoulder) and All-SEC linebacker Dannell Ellerbe (knee) won't play against UT.

Contrast Georgia's attrition with Tennessee's. The Vols played the first month without injured tight end Jeff Cottam, and they lost backup defensive tackle Chase Nelson to a season-ending knee injury. Otherwise, they have been relatively healthy.

So UT is a healthy 2-3. And Georgia is a bunged-up 4-1, still in contention for conference and national championships.

But given the injuries and the schedule, how realistic does either championship look?

The schedule is about to take a serious turn for the worse. Saturday's game with UT might be the easy part, even though the Vols have won three of the last four games in the series.

Georgia's last six opponents have a combined record of 25-5. Four of the six are nationally ranked.

Georgia will play only two of those opponents at Sanford Stadium. Its only remaining open date will come before its regular-season finale against Georgia Tech.

Contrast Georgia's schedule with that of Southern California, another one-loss team with national championship aspirations. USC's last seven opponents have a combined record of 20-22, and not one of them is ranked in the Associated Press Top 25.

And the Trojans won't have to worry about a conference playoff game.

Suppose the Bulldogs bucked all the odds and finished the regular season on a seven-game winning streak. They still would have to beat another nationally ranked team in the SEC championship game.

You would need more than talent to pull that off. You would need the kind of luck the Bulldogs haven't had.

Sports editor John Adams may be reached at 865-342-6284 or adamsj@knoxnews.com.

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